This is the sign that Sadie made in memory of Seamus, who is now bringing life to a plant that Sadie picked out.

You needn’t spend much time in Jerusalem to see Israeli military reservists – on leave/furlough but still active for mobilization – in civilian clothes, carrying assault rifles with them in their day-to-day lives. It takes some getting used to and can lead to many moments of contextual incongruity. The 20-ish female soldier in uniform? Sure. The 20-ish female reservist at a beachside restaurant? Not so easy. But, that is the reality.

The poem below is based on my observing two reservists while we waited at a light rail station in West Jerusalem.

The Reservists

The pair are on call but at ease, 
summer wardrobe, sunlit conversation
The weapons slung from their shoulders
charge the surrounding molecules. 

We see variations in 
our new reality:
a young man in a Tupac tee
a father pushing his child in a stroller
a bikini-topped woman at a restaurant table.

We are accustomed, not at ease.

.I want to transport this couple
to some crowded esplanade,
cocktails at hand
as sailboats lumber past the breakwater.
No guns. No duties. No risks.

Here and now he reaches out
and runs his thumbs along her eyebrows.
She smiles stiffly, 
the molecules vibrating anxiously.

She sees me watching and
gives me a glance but no more
as she manages the greater of two intrusions.

We we’re having a wonderful few nights of culture last week: on Tuesday we watched silent comedy shorts (Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd) with live musical accompaniment at Christy’s church; on Wednesday, we saw an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest in a West Jerusalem park.

And then Thursday morning came around, starting a weeklong bout of intestinal distress for yours truly. Like, “dropped about 10 pounds in the process” level distress. But, a week+ later things are back to more solid functionality.

The kids completed their first week at a new school. While the longer commute has them leaving earlier in the morning, and the commute back home is a grueling uphill slog in this recent heat wave, they are both happy with the new environment and we are delighted that’s the case.

Not much else to report for now, given my being homebound for more than a week, so more to come in the following weeks.

Sadly, I didn’t take any photos at the silent comedy shorts screening, but here are some from Tempest.

If you didn’t see the images on FB, here are the kiddos on their first day at school. Riley was representing Hickory, woot woot!

This was an entry on the online menu for a local restaurant.

“Current caprice”? Not “ephemeral fancy”? “Present pique”? “Prevailing passion”? “Daily diversion”?

The Reverend Doctor Christy Lohr Sapp was back in the pulpit at Lutheran Church of Redeemer today, for which we are grateful.

We are also grateful for our time with Seamus, the kitten we rescued earlier in the week, who sadly passed away last night. It was not unexpected, so we are glad that we could provide some comfort and love in those past several days.

Some beauteous Bougainvilleas in our neighborhood.

Wall art at Tacos Luis in West Jerusalem.

On Thursday we went to Riley and Sadie’s new school for a quick introduction and tour.

Near their school was this image of Menachem Mendel Schneerson, an Orthodox rabbi and influential leader of the Chabad-Lubavitcher movement. His image can be found in various forms around Jerusalem — from stickers to stencils, modern art to this unmissable cutout.

After visiting the school we popped into the Mahane Yehuda Market (aka “The Shuk”), an expansive marketplace where you’ll find lots of shops, stalls, bars and restaurants. It being Friday, and with Shabbat starting in the early evening, The Shuk was bursting with activity. You can see Riley, Christy and Sadie in the foreground.

And this was the view behind us.

And finally…here’s Christy preaching again at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer after our long stay back in the US.

As some of you will know from Christy’s posts, earlier this week we rescued a kitten left on the sidewalk. We named him Seamus. There have been many ups and downs over the past several days and sleep-deprived night, but until we get him to the local SPCA he is resting comfortably.

In his honor, and continuing my recent interest in poetry, I have composed the piece below and included a photo of the li’l fella in his newly preferred bedding. Peace and blessings to y’all.

Seamus, Day Four

You, who squeak, squirm and nestle
in fleecy sheets that fill our laundry basket,
the fabric an echo of a mother’s closeness.

A newborn kitten’s eyes stay closed for two weeks
protected from light and dirt
shielded from expectation.

What would you see
if you saw what I see?

The now abundant garden next door
olives heavy with history
figs bursting their skins.

The imperious parrot on its branch

Coils of barbed wire dissecting the air

Take your time, keep looking within.
We won’t have all the answers
just because our eyes are open.

We landed back in the Holy Land on Monday after an arduous two days of flight delays, missed connections, and some divine intervention by the service folks at Lufthansa to keep us from getting stranded in Munich International Airport. For two days. With cats. And no overnight options beyond a “family bathroom” and a smoking lounge.

We are getting settled back in (again) at our apartment, with plenty to come in terms of work and school flow. And, of course, we are getting reacquainted with the neighborhood kitties, who have grown lean. in the summer months and so appreciate our return as a dependable food source.

Below are some photos from the past week and half, before and after our trip. Hope this finds y’all well.

Charlotte has a strong mural game. Sadie took several workshops through Blumenthal Performing Arts, so I had some time to wander about and enjoy the downtown area.

Riley did a second summer of Youth Academy with the Hickory Police Department.

Sadie performing a singing showcase at Hickory Community Theatre.

That included a duet with her vocal coach Ashe Klutz.

The morning view at Christy’s mom’s house, the day of our departure.

The long wait at Munich Airport. Reluctant traveler Marshmallow performed the safety of her carrier.

Sign outside the airport bathroom, including this infant image found on all the signs. I don’t know what to say other than that graphic design is full of choices — some curioser than others.

The view from dinner last night with colleagues in Beit Jala.

And this morning, pancakes à la Sadie.

We are four-ish days away from heading back to the Holy Land. I recently picked up a book of poems by Margaret Atwood, so had the form on my mind yesterday during my walks.

MONDAY

The air is not welcoming
when I first step outside

A low and brooding veil
Trees stifled in a damp grip

In my hand, a morning cuppa
Leaving sleep behind as
Walking toward the tasks and tensions of impending departure

By afternoon, heat eviscerates humidity
Cirrus vapors gild a carefree sky

Thoughts of a return across oceans and seas

Cramped, competitive streets and
needy neighborhood cats and
being present in the whirlwind of history

What will change?
What will we learn?
What mood will the skies reveal?

Greetings, y’all! It’s been a busy two weeks for Christy and me, including a week of in Illinois attending ELCA conferences, followed by some preaching and reconnecting-with-friends time in Wisconsin.

Sadie has stayed busy with theatre, running spotlight and light boards for Hickory Community Theatre and Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts. This week, Riley is enjoying another week of junior training camp with the Hickory PD.

I directed (and performed in) a production of Caryl Churchill’s Light Shining in Buckinghamshire that was performed in a super cool space, with a super cool cast, in Newton, NC.

Let’s go to the file photos…

On July 4th, we supported some friends performing with Purple Squirrel Musik in Lenoir, NC.

Obligatory fireworks photo from that evening.

Some of the hats worn in Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, which is set during the English Civil War of 1642-1651.

This was our performance space – the Bhakti Barn at AnandaRasa Catawba in Newton, NC. Our opening night featured a severe weather AND tornado warning, but we got in the show and had a wonderful weekend of performances.

Day 1 in Illinois and, of course, we celebrated with some deep dish pizza.

The conferences opened with a gathering of global missionaries…

…including a session moderated by Christy…

…and an all-staff gathering kicked off by Presiding Bishop Curry.

I squeezed in a get-together with some college friends in Evanston, IL, courtesy of the Metra train line.

Did I mention that I had time to kill on the ride back from Evanston?

On (to) Wisconsin! Our first night in Platteville we attended a big band concert in the park.

We did a presentation at Advent Lutheran Church in Madison, which has a gorgeous pollinator garden, as well as an expansive community garden…

…that includes chickens.

Christy preaching at Lutheran Church of Peace in Platteville, WI.

Some Buddhist monks providing a pop of color at O’Hare Airport on our journey back to NC.

Been another hot minute. Christy recently traveled coast-to-coast, going from a synod gathering in Washington State to one in Massachusetts. We took a few days to visit family and friends, then returned home for Christy (with some assists from us) to preach and/or present at multiple churches here in North Carolina. This includes a return to St. Andrew’s in Hickory, where she was Pastor before we made the move to Jerusalem.

Hope y’all are well. Peace.

Sadie and I took in a production of EVITA presented by Davidson Community Players. Three of the male leads were out due to Covid. Yikes!

Christy preached and presented at Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville, NC. Not pictured is a former elementary school teacher (and her husband) reconnecting with the kids.

While in Hendersonville we visited the Perry N. Rudnick Art & Nature Trail. See if you can spot Sadie hiding amongst this art installation. 🙂

A community school can also be found on the grounds of the park. These boots are made for walking trails and working in the learning garden.

Oooh. Lunch on the Veranda. Fan-say!

Christy got me some new artwork! The question is: Do you think that’s Jesus Christ or Noah?

The past several weeks have been busy with school, sports, travel, and being present for friends and others.

Sadie and Christy went on a school trip to Washington, DC, promptly followed by Christy and I popping back up to DC for a two-day Churches for Middle East Peace advocacy summit.

Sadie (school) and Riley (YMCA) both had playoff soccer. No championship trophies, sadly, but it was a rewarding experience for both in terms of play and connecting with teammates.

This coming weeks will provide a bit of a break before Christy’s church and synod travels begin in earnest at the end of the month, and we head into a busy June of camps and family travel.

Hope this finds you all well. Peace.

Supporting friends at a 7th & 8th Grade end-of-year concert at the middle school Sadie and Riley used to attend.

Supporting another set of friends at a different school.

Had the privilege of attending the senior thesis presentation for now-Lenoir-Rhyne University graduate Natalie Mosier.

Motivational messaging in Washington, DC.

Interesting architectural flex in DC. The poem on the steps is excerpted from Maya Angelou’s “Alone”:

Lying, thinking
Last night
How to find my soul a home
Where water is not thirsty
And bread loaf is not stone
I came up with one thing
And I don’t believe I’m wrong
That nobody,
But nobody
Can make it out here alone.

Maxwell Park wine bar in DC builds its wine menu around monthly themes. In this case, how cultivating on sloping vineyards (as opposed to flat ones) impacts wine quality and taste. How that got them to Tina Turner I don’t know, but we appreciated that each month theme comes with its own specialized staff tee shirts.

Still Life, College Town.

Resting Avatar Face, A Study.

At the Little Grill in Harrisonburg, VA.